Tips and Recipes

Here you will find tips on how to store and keep your vegetables fresh. It’s never fun to let your food go to waste.

You will also find many of our favorite recipes that we enjoy with our fresh vegetables. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Bon appetite!

How to Store Your Vegetables to Retain Freshness

Arugula – As soon as possible, soak in cold water 5-10 minutes, rinse, and spin dry.. Wrap in paper towels and store in airtight container or zip-lock bag in your crisper drawer. Best when consumed within 5 days.

Basil – Place in a glass of water as you would flowers. Be sure not to submerge leaves, only stems. Store on counter. Do not refrigerate.

Beets – Trim leafy greens from beet, wash, rinse, dry and store in zip-lock bag in refrigerator. Store beet root in a drawer or a shelf. Avoid washing the beets prior to storage in the fridge. Instead, wash just before cooking.Consume beet root within 2-3 weeks of purchase, and greens within 2-3 days.

Broccoli – Broccoli needs ventilation when stored properly. Rinse and dry, then place in container of water where only the stem is submerged. cover with ventilated plastic wrap. Alternatively, you can rinse, dry, and wrap in paper towels and store in a ventilated bag in your crisper drawer. You can blanch and freeze broccoli for long term storage as well!

Cantaloupe and Canary Melon – can be kept uncut on counter for 1-3 days. Once cut, store your melon in an airtight container or zip-lock bag. Will keep up to 3-5 days. Cantaloupe freezes well and can be stored in a freezer bag.

Carrots – As pretty as they are, remove the greens as they deplete the carrot of both moisture and nutrients. Greens are edible and can be saved for other uses. Wash and remove dirt from carrots. Carrots can be submerged in water then placed in refrigerator for ultimate crisp and freshness for a couple weeks . Swap out cloudy water with fresh water. Alternatively, after washing, you can store them wrapped in paper towels and sealed in airtight container or zip-lock bag.

Collard Greens – wash, chop into large pieces; soak and wash again to remove all grit then store in ziplock or airtight container in fridge. You can also blanch after you chop and then freeze for up to 10 months.

Honey – Pure, raw, unpasteurized honey has no shelf life. Over time and cold weather it may solidify and crystalize . If it does, place jar in warm water bath (or the sun) and let it slowly come to room temp until it becomes pour-able again. Crystallized honey is great on toast!

Kale -wash, chop into large pieces; then wrap in paper towels and store in zip-lock or airtight container in crisper drawer. You can also blanch after you chop and freeze for up to 10 months.

Lettuce – Loose leaf lettuce should be rinsed and spun until all debri is removed. Store in a paper towel lined airtight container or zip-lock bag for maximum freshness for several days. Heads of lettuce can be stored in bag it comes in. Before consuming, rinse, pull leaves from stem, wash/rinse again and spin. Alternatively, you can do this prior to storage and store as loose leaf lettuce.

Spinach – As soon as possible, soak in cold water 5-10 minutes, rinse, and spin dry.. Wrap in paper towels and store in airtight container or zip-lock bag in your crisper drawer. Best when consumed within 5 days.

Summer Squash(Zucchini, Zephyr, Tiger-striped) – Store in crisper drawer. Avoid washing until ready to use. Softness is an indicator that you should use immediately. Will last in crisper drawer up to 5 days. To freeze, slice the rounds, blanch for 2 minutes, plunge in cold water, drain, and then seal in airtight containers or freezer bags. Will keep frozen up to 10 months to 1 year.

Swiss Chard – Similar to collards, yet more delicate, will store well wrapped in paper towels in an airtight container or ziplock bag when rinsed and dried thoroughly. Can be sauteed or tossed in a fresh salad. Stems are edible and Rainbow Chard will had a wonderful pop of color to your dish!

Watermelon – Store watermelon on counter until ready to cut. Slice or cube and store in airtight container. To store half, cover with plastic wrap in fridge.

RECIPES

No-bake Zucchini Lasagna

1 large zucchini, sliced 1/4 in. thick

1 pint cherry tomatoes

ricotta cheese (16 oz. container should be plenty, just depends on how much you like ricotta!)

olive oil

salt and pepper

Chiffonade of basil as garnish (about 3-5 leaves)

In a large pan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil. Season zucchini medallions with salt and pepper, add to pan and cook over high heat. Flip when they become browned and slightly softened on one side. Repeat on second side. Once all zucchini is cooked, remove the last batch and add tomatoes over high heat, adding 1/2-1 Tbsp olive oil if necessary; stirring occasionally. While tomatoes are cooking down (5-6 minutes), place one zucchini medallion on large serving dish, add one dollup (or tsp.) of ricotta on top. Place another medallion on top, at an angle and repeat. When tomatoes are soft and bursting, pour over zucchini and ricotta. Sprinkle your basil on top and serve warm.

Fresh Arugula & Watermelon Salad

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 cup good olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 cups baby arugula, washed and spun dry

1/8th seedless watermelon, rind removed, and cut in 1-inch cubes

12 ounces bleu or feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup toasted walnuts

Whisk together the lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly. If not using within an hour, store the vinaigrette covered in the refrigerator.

Place the arugula, watermelon, and cheese in a large bowl. Drizzle with enough vinaigrette to coat the greens lightly and toss well. Taste for seasonings and serve immediately and top with toasted walnuts.

*adapted from Ina Garten’s Arugula, Watermelon & Feta Salad

Basil & Watermelon Salad

handful of basil, chopped or julienned

3 cups cubed watermelon

4 tsp lemon juice

1-2 dashes cayenne pepper or chili powder

Toss all ingredients together and serve immediately.

Smothered Collard Greens

2 bunches of collard greens

3 slices thick bacon, chopped

2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

1 cup chicken broth

1/2-1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Wash greens and chop (stems & leaves). Soak and rinse once more to remove any remaining grit.

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl combine butter, shallot, garlic and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Season the squash halves with salt and pepper and set on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle each halve with the garlic butter and roast for 30 minutes or until the squash is golden and tender.

Basil Pesto (nut & dairy free)

4 cups loose basil leaves

4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup Olive Oil

Salt

Peel garlic cloves and chop in food processor. Add basil leaves and 1/2 tsp salt. Place lid on food processor and turn on. Slowly drizzle oil through funnel and process until garlic and basil is finely minced. Add salt if necessary. This basil pesto is wonderful on pizza, pasta, veggies and crostini!

*You can add 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan when you add basil.

Dill & Greek Yogurt Dip

1 cup greek yogurt

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 Tbsp. chopped dill

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy! Can be served with crudités plate or chips. You can also replace the yogurt with sour cream.